Schilling misses perfection by an out

By TheNaturalMevs on June 8, 2007

David Ortiz hit a homerun in the 1st inning and it held up in what was a sure classic between Joe Blanton and Curt Schilling. Schilling had 4 K’s and got to 8 2/3 innings without allowing a hit when Shannon Stewart came to the plate in the 9th inning.

“With two outs I was sure I had it,” the 40-year-old Schilling said. “I shook off [Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek] and now I’ll have to deal with a ‘what-if’ the rest of my life.”

Varitek wanted a slider but Schilling wanted a fastball away. A’s left fielder Shannon Stewart was looking for exactly the pitch Schilling threw.

“I was looking away and shot it out there,” Stewart said. “I looked down at the third-base coach and didn’t get a take sign. I told myself I’d be swinging if the pitch was there.”

Varitek felt Stewart would be first-pitch swinging, and after calling for so many fastballs, wanted to mix in the slider to Stewart.

Read more: Fenway Blogger

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